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UAE to have rail link with Saudi Arabia by end-2021 - official

Federal Authority for Land and Marine Transport chief reveals date for major rail connection project

By Staff writer

Mon 12 Mar 2018 02:19 PM

The UAE will have a rail link with Saudi Arabia by the end of December 2021, it was reported on Monday.

Abdullah Salem Al Kathiri, director general of the Federal Authority for Land and Marine Transport, was quoted by Reuters as saying: "By the end of December 2021 we will have a connection between us and the Saudis."

His comments come just days after the UAE's Etihad Rail was reportedly set to issue tenders for phase 2 of its country-wide rail network project.

Phase 2 of the project will connect the UAE's sea ports and the project's first phase.

The planned 2,100km passenger and cargo network connecting the six Gulf states was pushed back at least three years to 2021.

In January 2016, it was announced that Etihad Rail had suspended the tendering process for stage 2 of the UAE's railway network as it reviewed the project investment.

Several projects across the Gulf have been put on hold as oil producers struggle with low crude prices.